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Study: Water Rates Continue to Rise
VISTA, Calif. - According to a study of water
use in U.S. businesses reveals that the average business
district/commercial water user saw water rates rise 5.5
percent in 2011 when compared to 2010.*
However, in several American cities, water and sewer rate
increases were considerably higher. For instance:
* Indianapolis, Indiana, business owners were paying
12 percent more for water now compared to 2010.
* Kansans City, Kansas, saw a 15.3 percent jump.
* Atlanta, Georgia, charges went up 12 percent.
* Seattle, Washington, prices were up 11 percent.
* Portland, Oregon, had a 9 percent increase.
* New York City experienced a 7.5 percent uptick in
water charges.
The study also identified those cities with the most
expensive and the least costly water and sewer rates. The
five cities with the highest water/sewer rates in the United
States in 2011:
* Atlanta, Georgia
* Seattle, Washington
* Newport, Rhode Island
* San Francisco, California
* Portland, Oregon
And the lowest:
* Biloxi, Mississippi
* El Paso, Texas
* Memphis, Tennessee
* Chicago, Illinois
* Greenville, South Carolina
"There does not appear to be a specific reason why some
[business customers] in certain cities pay more for water or
experienced bigger cost increases than others," says Klaus
Reichardt, Founder and CEO of Waterless Co., LLC.
<http://www.waterless.com/> who first posted the
information on his blog <http://waterlessco.wordpress.com/>
. "However, what we do know is this: water/sewer charges
are on an upward climb with no end in sight."
Reichardt suggests the first step in dealing with increased
water charges is to simply look for places where water is
being wasted-for instance, faucets that leak-and repair
them.
"One leaky faucet can waste 3,000 gallons of water per
year," he says. "That's costly and wasteful. [We] have to
get much more water careful and responsible about our water
use."
-end-
*Nus Consulting Group; calculations based on 220,000 gallons
of water consumption per month; a study by Circle of Blue
which reports on water issues indicates rate increases for
residential customers average 9.4 per cent
Waterless Co. is now on Facebook. Visit us at:
http://tiny.cc/ided6
More From 1/27/2012 on FacilitiesNet
